Junior Vaivai to arrive at Hull KR early next week

USA international centre Junior Vaivai will arrive at Hull KR ahead of the busy Easter schedule after receiving visa clearance.

Vaivai, 28, was announced on a one-year deal last month, with the option for a further year.

He played for the USA at the World Cup in the autumn and has previously played in the NRL for South Sydney and Penrith.

Coach Tim Sheens told the club’s official website: “We’ve received the news in the last 24 hours that Junior’s visa has come through. It’s taken eight weeks which can be pretty normal, but with the season up and running it’s felt a little longer.

“Junior’s all ready to go, he’s in good shape and he’ll catch a flight on Sunday to be here by early next week. I’m not going to put any pressure on him, but he’s a big, strong player with good footwork. He mainly plays at centre but can also play on the wing and in the back row, so he’ll add some real competition to our squad.

“We’ll have a look at Junior when he gets over here and we’ll see how he settles in. He’s a qualified personal trainer so he’s going to arrive in good shape, but he’ll be short of competitive fitness so it might take a few weeks for him to get up to speed.”